Tag: Sci-fi

Pegasus (Part 144)

Images of destroyed buildings and women wailing in grief appear on screen. The man began to speak again –

“Similar scenes are being repeated throughout the news. Not only is there this powerplay at the top, but individual habitats and settlements on the Moons, Mars, and Earth are declaring their independence. The Imperial Army has declared that the integrity of the Empire will be maintained. Suzie, it’s hard to see how this ends without much bloodshed.

Breaking news – Nuclear missiles have been launched. It appears the General Atkum has given the authorisation. More missiles have been launched in retaliation. We are minutes from the first detonations. Billions of lives will be lost.”

Tabitha stared into my eyes. My heart was racing, and I was breaking out into a cold sweat.

What had we done?

And was there anything we could do to make amends?

Pegasus (Part 143)

I woke up several hours later. The morning time cycle had started, and rays of light illuminated the room. Tabitha’s arm was resting across my chest. There was only one thought on my mind.

Were there any reports about the death of the Emperor?

I looked around for the remote control. It was resting on the chair beside the bed. It occurred to me that a hotel habitat may not have a great selection of TV channels. Still, those of the nearby habitats are likely to be picked up.

Immediately, I tapped Tabitha’s arm. She looked at the screen aghast, just like me as I turned the volume up. There was an Asian woman in a studio speaking frantically in a language I didn’t understand, but “War” was emblazoned in red along the bottom.

Switching between the channels, trying to find something in English or Irish, I came across 24TVNews. A man in a black suit was speaking to the camera. He was breaking up in tears as he spoke –

“Suzie, the star system is at war. Several hours ago, news was released that the Emperor had died. Almost immediately, power plays among his former generals broke out. Hours later, and the first reports of violence are coming through.”

Pegasus (Part 142)

“We are from O451 and on route to a holiday habitat. Currently experiencing technical issues with our ship and wish to rest. Are we cleared to board?” I responded.

There was no reply for a few moments.

“You are cleared to board.”

In truth, I thought little of it. Maybe it was her first day on the job or something like that. A bit overzealous.

The autopilot kicked in as we drew closer. It set the ship down right in front of the hotel.

“Let’s party!” Leanne shouted.

Tabitha frowned, “No, everyone, keep your heads down. We could be the most wanted people there ever were.”

They seemed to take her comments in. We all had rooms in different parts of the hotel building so as not to draw attention to ourselves and set a time to meet up the following day.. Tabitha and I were on the 17th floor. The hotel was modelled on hotels in Cuba from the 1940s, before the rise of Communism in that country, with luxurious wooden furniture in the lobby. I was surprised by how few other people were around, and our floor seemed empty.

The room was compact with a double bed ensuite, and a television set built into the wall. Exhausted, we took off our clothes and fell asleep.

Pegasus (Part 141)

The rest of the crew broke into hugs, kisses, and high-fives, too. We had achieved the incredible; the Emperor was gone. I imagined impromptu celebrations breaking out throughout the solar system. The riches of the Empire could now be shared with the destitute. Democracy could be brought back. My eyes welled with pride.

After a few minutes, Leanne, who had finished kissing her woman, asked, “Where next?”

It was such an obvious question, but one I had never given any thought. I looked at Tabitha, but she raised her shoulders. “Well, let me see if there is somewhere safe close by. Here, T451, only forty minutes away. It’s a hotel habitat. We can lay low for a while, make sure we’re not being hunted before returning to whatever you call home.”

There were no objections, so I took it as a go.

The joyous atmosphere continued till we were close to our new destination.

The ship’s onboard computer tried to initiate the docking procedure but was blocked. Instead, we received a voice communication from what sounded like an anxious woman. “We have no record of your reservation. Please state your business and where your origin point is.”

I look at the rest of the crew holding my finger up to my mouth. I examined the map of habitat locations, trying to determine a plausible origin point.

Pegasus (Part 140)

I brushed past him shouldering him to the ground. “Come on! We don’t have much time.”

The other ran around the frail man and after me.

Another explosion, this time much bigger. I glanced back to see the palace in ruins. The devastation was only going to increase. My heart skipped a beat when I saw troopers under one of the pyramids but they scuttled.

It took another six minutes of hard running before we reached our ship. I was never so happy to see it. The ground shook violently from a further blast. I knew that the habitat would not maintain stability for much longer.

I went straight for the controls, my eyes fixated on the rear camera waiting for my last comrade to board.

A moment later, the ship was lifting off. A blast from the rear pushed the ship forward. I pulled the lever back hard as it skimmed over the surface before rising up through the thin at atmosphere and into space.

Cries of joy erupted. Then a huge piece of space junk flew in front of the ship. I looked into the rear view camera to see the Emperor’s Habitat being blown apart.

We did it. We actually did it.

Tabitha threw her arms around me and planted a kiss.

Pegasus (Part 139)

The corridor turns left, then right. All the time, I could hear the pounding feet of our pursuers. Then an explosion goes off behind shaking the building and knocking us off our feet. The ceiling has fallen in behind us, covering everything in a white dust.

I struggle to my feet knowing that we are now racing against the clock. Tabitha does likewise, her jaw clenched.

A lift is only a few feet away. We get inside knowing there’s no chance we would leave our comrades behind.

I press the button to go down a floor and we go back in the direction from which we came.

As the lift opens, there is another explosion. ab

We run. In front of us are the enemy troops who pinned us down earlier. We start firing hitting them in the back. Only one of them manages to turn around, his eyes wide open as his body is riddled.

Charging down the stars I roared, “Everyone to the ship. It’s going to blow!”

Then came out of their cover positions and followed. Then we all came to an abrupt halt. The Emperor, now a sickly yellow stood in front of us. Barely audible he said, “Whhaat have you done?”

Pegasus (Part 138)

I looked Tabitha straight in the eyes, “You keep them back, I’ll prepare things in here.”

She turned and started returning fire. Her muscles bulged as the heavy weapon went back and forth in her arms.

“Hurry,” she yelled. There are too many.

Sown into the inside of my jacket was the critical device. I took a blade from my side pocket and cut it out. It was a long wire with a circuit connector on each end. I put one side on the mechanical device and the other on the cylindrical device.

A few seconds later, it flashes yellow.

They have to keep it connected for another two minutes for the reaction to become self-sustaining.

I watch in horror as Tabitha falls to the ground, a line of blood coming from her shoulder.

Immediately, I take up her position and return fire. The bodies of dead troops lie on the floor.

“Are you okay, Tabitha?” I shout over the din of my fire.

She gingerly gets back to her feet. “Yes, I’ll live.”

I glanced back at the wire. It flashed purple.

We need to get the hell out of here.

“Are you able to run?”

“Yes, I think so!”

“Okay, on the count of three. One, two..”

I step out into the hall. “Three.”

Tabitha runs. Then I turn and do likewise.

Pegasus (Part 137)

Our pace now quickened. I thought back to those plans I had seen all that time ago. The Emperor’s habitat and the palace on it had been constructed many generations ago. But even then, there was resistance to the autocracy.

One of the contractors had built a flaw into the palace’s emergency shield. A power line for the habitat runs very close. If they are connected, it triggers a massive explosion in just minutes, which ultimately reverberates throughout the entire habitat, destroying everything. A secret that the resistance had managed to keep.

The Emperor would finally be no more, and peace and freedom would finally prevail. Or, at least that was what I hoped would happen.

The hallway led to one room after another. All full of ornate wooden furniture. The tables were golden.

We were close now. I could feel it.

Tabitha grabbed my hand. “We’re being followed.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Damn”

The next thing we heard was shouts of “Stop!”. Then the firing started.

I opened the next door. It was what we were looking for. It was bare except for a mechanical device in its centre that took up most of the room, and a large cylindrical tube on the left side. They were what I needed to connect.

Pegasus (Part 136)

“Let’s go!” I roared.

We ran into the palace, my pulse racing.

Immediately, we ran into fire from the floor above. We took cover behind some of the pillars. I sensed the threat of us getting pinned. This was not something we had time for.

There was a screech of pain. Jeanne had been hit in the leg.

I shouted to the others. “We don’t have time for this. On the count of five, provide cover fire for me and Tabitha. We’ll come back for you once the mission has been completed.”

They nodded, and I began to count. On reaching five, we darted across the large room to the lifts. I pressed the button to go down multiple times.

Tabitha placed her hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. They can’t target us here.

The lift door opened, and we stepped inside. There was space for many more. I looked into Tabitha eyes. She didn’t blink. A couple of seconds later, the lift opened. We stepped onto the fine carpet that bore images of battles into a wide corridor.

An alarm sounded, and the lights took on a red hue.

Tabitha smiled. “Guess they know we’re here.”

“Apparently,” I replied.

Pegasus (Part 135)

In less than a minute, battered bodies were strewn across the ground. A minute later, they were cuffed and bound with their own equipment.

“Come on, hurry, there will be more of them,” Tabitha frowned.

“Yes, come on, everybody,” I added.

We jogged out from under the pyramid. I could see other troops in the distance but they seemed disinterested in security.

“What the hell is going on?” I said.

Leanne was beside me now. “It’s the Emperor. I got one of the communication devices from one of the troops. He’s critical. If he dies, it sounds like fighting could break out.”

This was the time. We had to take advantage.

Leanne pointed to a megastructure in the distance. “That’s the palace. It’s huge.”

With that, we went into the vegetation and went straight for it.

It glistened with gold, and the main pathway was cut in emerald diamond. The opulence was there on view for everyone to see.

We went right up to the entrance undiscovered and peered out at the tourists and two heavily armed guards.

Tabitha looked at me knowingly, and we raised our acquired guns. The two guards collapsed in a hail of bullets as panicked onlookers ran in every direction.